Guest blogger Sean Miller

“Abortion compounds the grief of many women who now carry with them deep physical and spiritual wounds after succumbing to the pressures of a secular culture which devalues God’s gift of sexuality and the right to life of the unborn.”
— Pope Francis, April 25, at a meeting with African bishops.

The grief and pain of abortion’s aftermath have devastated the lives of many men and women, who feel they have nowhere to turn.

Guest blogger Sean Miller asks us to help them find their way to the forgiveness and healing of God.

Forgiveness

How horrible it must feel to be forgotten!

How many women are hurting from abortion and feel they have nobody to talk to about their hurt? How many men struggle with their lost fatherhood as they try to handle their own hurt alone? And even couples, trying to navigate their way through a sea of stormy emotions, may find themselves feeling isolated.

Does the abortion industry concern itself with them at all? The answer is simply, NO! Once they receive their money and perform the abortion they point to the door.

And what happens when a woman leaves after her abortion is truly heart-breaking to witness. More than once I’ve seen women come out of an abortion facility devastated. Some wail. Others take a few steps, only to collapse in despair on the sidewalk.

What I’ve seen will be forever in my mind, stirring a mixture of emotions. The strongest is sorrow for these women. But there’s also a horrible feeling of helplessness inside — and anger grows. This anger asks, “How can the abortionists and other people responsible for this justify themselves?” 

These women, who have been so exploited and then abandoned in their fragile emotional state, need to know that there is help!

This is where we in the pro-life movement can come in. We need to show couples that the time for forgiveness is now. And if they feel they’re not worthy to be forgiven, we need to remind them that Christ died for all our sins – not just for some of them.

We need to assure them that the Lord loves and forgives and that their healing is of utmost importance to Him.

Perhaps we can direct them to Rachel’s Vineyard, a group that offers weekend retreats that focus on forgiveness and healing for both men and women. They have helped countless people to mend their lives.

And that hope of mending brings to my mind the saying “For those that love God, everything will be used for their betterment.”

Perhaps, somewhere down the road, it may be possible that those who’ve experienced abortion first hand can use their pain to help others.

In no way am I suggesting that this would not be difficult to do. But if a woman who has had an abortion could find the strength to counsel other women who are considering an abortion, it would be most powerful.

She could share her experience, her words would have a tremendous impact, and through her a life could be saved.

Therefore, let us pray that those who are grieving a child lost to abortion will run to the healing “Heart of Jesus” so His forgiveness will allow them to go forward. And perhaps they will even become His instruments as they steer other women on the path of truth to embrace the gift of life!